Photo: ColoradoAdventure via Rivian Forums
Early Rivian R1T owners got in trouble with the powered tonneau covers on their trucks, which broke prematurely. Rivian took note and promised a fix, but it took more than a year before the updated covers became available. Here are the first impressions from an R1T owner who just got the new powered tonneau cover installed.
Although Rivian made a powerful impression with the R1T, things weren't always perfect with the first electric pickup truck to market. Early owners soon discovered that the powered tonneau cover had a poor design, which caused it to fail prematurely. Rivian acknowledged the issue and promised to offer a fix, but it turned out to be one of the biggest failures in the automotive world. The first problems surfaced in December 2021, and one year later, Rivian couldn't figure out how to solve them.
In October 2022, Rivian appeared to have given up offering a powered tonneau cover, so it removed it from the configurator and advised potential buyers to opt for a manual cover instead. Even those who did specify the manual cover got their pickups without one because Rivian couldn't design it. The earliest time Rivian could deliver it was in the summer of 2023. Thankfully, the manual cover is retrofittable, but even so, people resorted to aftermarket and even make-shift solutions.
In May, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe showed both the manual and powered tonneau covers installed on an R1T truck at the factory, raising hopes that these parts will ship to R1T owners soon. One month later, the first manual covers were delivered, although not without drama. Apparently, this time, the packaging was faulty, which for some meant the covers were damaged during delivery.
Back to the powered tonneau cover, Rivian promised to start installs toward the end of October, but things did not move. It also sent confusing messages to owners about the possibility of retrofitting the powered cover on a pickup that was delivered without it. Thankfully, it now appears that the first Rivian R1T owners have had their trucks fitted with the updated powered tonneau cover, as revealed in a post on Rivian Forums.
User ColoradoAdventure just picked up his truck from the Denver service center with the updated cover. According to his words, it was the second install, so they tested it thoroughly before calling him to pick up the truck. The technicians also revealed they went to Normal, Illinois (Rivian factory) to watch the updated covers tested. The engineers poured sand into and on top of it to prove it could run without issues.
ColoradoAdventure reveals that the powered tonneau cover still features a single motor, but it comes with an updated spring system to prevent panels from getting out of alignment. It also has reinforced panels and gearing, as well as a cleaning system to prevent dirt from getting inside. Everything else seems like before, including the water resistance, which still leaves some water to drip on the sides.
From what it looks and how it sounds, Rivian hasn't changed much on the original design despite needing two years of development. Hopefully, the updated design will prove more reliable in the long run because Rivian cannot afford another failure. However, what Rivian owners would really want is to see that the cover is strong enough to support two people, the same as the Tesla Cybertruck's tonneau cover.
In October 2022, Rivian appeared to have given up offering a powered tonneau cover, so it removed it from the configurator and advised potential buyers to opt for a manual cover instead. Even those who did specify the manual cover got their pickups without one because Rivian couldn't design it. The earliest time Rivian could deliver it was in the summer of 2023. Thankfully, the manual cover is retrofittable, but even so, people resorted to aftermarket and even make-shift solutions.
In May, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe showed both the manual and powered tonneau covers installed on an R1T truck at the factory, raising hopes that these parts will ship to R1T owners soon. One month later, the first manual covers were delivered, although not without drama. Apparently, this time, the packaging was faulty, which for some meant the covers were damaged during delivery.
Back to the powered tonneau cover, Rivian promised to start installs toward the end of October, but things did not move. It also sent confusing messages to owners about the possibility of retrofitting the powered cover on a pickup that was delivered without it. Thankfully, it now appears that the first Rivian R1T owners have had their trucks fitted with the updated powered tonneau cover, as revealed in a post on Rivian Forums.
User ColoradoAdventure just picked up his truck from the Denver service center with the updated cover. According to his words, it was the second install, so they tested it thoroughly before calling him to pick up the truck. The technicians also revealed they went to Normal, Illinois (Rivian factory) to watch the updated covers tested. The engineers poured sand into and on top of it to prove it could run without issues.
ColoradoAdventure reveals that the powered tonneau cover still features a single motor, but it comes with an updated spring system to prevent panels from getting out of alignment. It also has reinforced panels and gearing, as well as a cleaning system to prevent dirt from getting inside. Everything else seems like before, including the water resistance, which still leaves some water to drip on the sides.
From what it looks and how it sounds, Rivian hasn't changed much on the original design despite needing two years of development. Hopefully, the updated design will prove more reliable in the long run because Rivian cannot afford another failure. However, what Rivian owners would really want is to see that the cover is strong enough to support two people, the same as the Tesla Cybertruck's tonneau cover.
— monk (@monk_stuff) December 12, 2023
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